Take Me or Leave Me
by RainbowRose2001
Summary: Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot. :          Rory's first day of Chilton, and she is met with 'the group' and one blond Adonis, who seems to have more power than he is letting on.
1. Chapter 1

Take Me or Leave Me

Rory stood in front of the mirror admiring her blue plaid skirt. Her mom had just hemmed it to the perfect length, although her mom would have made it a little shorter had Rory not been there to stop her. Lorelei loved her daughter but sometimes felt that she was too shy and needed to jazz things up a bit. Although she didn't want her daughter to take her approach by getting pregnant at 16, she did want Rory to experience being a teenager. Rory was a bundle of nerves, everything ranging from nervousness to excitement. Chilton was a very competitive school, and also it was a private school, meaning there was going to be a lot of trust-fund kids there. She and her mother didn't have a lot of money even though they came from a very respectable family in Hartford, so Rory was a little worried about fitting in.

The next morning, Lorelei and Rory were sitting in front of Chilton.

"It's a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be," Rory sighed.

"Well Sweets, you are in the land of the rich and snobby now."

With one final sigh, they got out of the jeep and made their way to the headmaster's office. The high vaulted ceiling and the marble floors made their footsteps echo loudly despite being surrounded and stared at by the many students still lingering in the hall. Four sets of eyes kept their focus as the first bell rang.

After a rather defeating meeting with Headmaster Charleston, the Gilmore girls went their separate ways. Rory quickly moved through the quiet halls towards her locker, then towards her homeroom. As she opened the door to Mr. Medina's English class, all eyes fell on her. Mr. Medina instructed her to take the only open seat in front of a beautiful, smirking, blonde Adonis. Rory felt the boy's eyes burning into her back, but she remained facing the front of the room as she was introduced to the rest of the class. After furiously scribbling down the notes on the board, the gods took pity on Rory and the bell rang. She picked up her things and left the classroom.

However, as she approached her locker she noticed the same Adonis who sat behind her just a few minutes ago was already leaning against her locker.

"Hi, I'm Tristan," he smirked.

"Hi, can you please move down a little, you are leaning on my locker," Rory said shyly.

"I know."

"You know? How do you know where my locker is?"

"I have my ways," he said leaning closer to her. Rory's eyes immediately fell on his lips. He really was gorgeous. Rory felt her face heat up and shifted her gaze to the ground. Her actions did not go unnoticed by Tristan.

"Um…ok….well I still need to get into my locker"

"Ok well if you ever need anything, and I do mean _anything_, you come to me," Tristan said darkly. "I'll see you later….Mary." With that he slowly backed away and walked towards to his next class.

"The name is Rory," she muttered.

Finally, lunch came. Rory was starving as she walked into the very full cafeteria with her book and MP3 player in hand. The line looked to be a mile long, but she trudged up to the end of the line anyway. She needed to eat if she was going to make through the rest of her day, and she was sorely in need of coffee. She felt a tap on her shoulder causing her to jump a little. She turned around to see a petite blonde smiling at her. She exuded confidence and sexuality.

"Hey there! You're Lorelei, right?" she asked.

"I go by Rory," she answered hesitantly.

"Oh good! Come on, we have food at our table." With that the blonde looped her arm in Rory's and drug her out of line and over to a semi-crowded table. As Rory looked up, she noticed a certain blond smirking at her.

"Ok, so everyone, this is Rory," the blonde started. "Rory, that is Madeline, Duncan, Tristan, Jack, Paris, and Mike."

"And who are you?"

"Oh, duh! I'm Louise," she said as she sat next to Mike. Leaving the only open chair between Tristan and Jack. Rory cautiously moved to sit down.

"Hey, Mary," Tristan whispered huskily in her ear.

"I guess you have trouble hearing. My name is Rory," she stated flatly.

"I know…Mary is my personal nickname for you."

Rory immediately blushed under his intimate gaze. She was just about to tell him off when the bell rang. Tristan smirked at her and held his hand out for her. She stared at it for a second, then she doesn't know what came over her, but she took it. He lifted her up and they started walking when Rory realized that he was still holding her hand. She blushed at the contact and the electricity shooting between them. Tristan just looked over and gave her a genuine smile.

They discovered that they had the next two classes together and in both Tristan made sure to sit as close to her as possible. Rory noticed that all the other guys would look at her for only a second before she would see Tristan glare at them causing them to avert their gaze near to look back again. This had Rory confused. Who was Tristan?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The last bell of the day rang loudly throughout Chilton, and Rory let out a sigh of relief. She got up and gathered her books and prepared to make her way to her locker. Tristan was waiting for her outside the door. He fell in step with her as they walked. Once they reached her locker, curiosity got the better of her.

"Tristan, can I ask you a something?"

"Ask away, Mary."

Rory glared at him, but continued packing up her backpack.

"Who are you and what exactly is your status here?" Rory was shocked that her voice came out as confidently as it had. Tristan looked slightly taken aback at her forwardness.

"Well, what do you think it is?"

Rory let out an aggravated sigh. "If I knew, then I wouldn't be asking," she responded curtly.

"It's a long story, if you let me give you a ride home then I might be inclined to tell you," he replied with an evil grin.

"I suppose…one thing first, can I trust you?"

Tristan ice blue eyes staring deep into her cerulean eyes, "I don't know, can you?"

His piercing gaze sent shivers down Rory's spine and her stomach was still filled with butterflies. She smiled seductively.

"Let's go," she whispered as she started walking towards the front door. Tristan's head fell back as he felt the electricity course through his veins. He quickly recovered and jogged to catch up to her.

As they approached Tristan's electric blue Porsche, Rory's nerves started kicking into high gear. What was she doing, this wasn't like her. She felt drawn to him, she felt safe. She also knew that there was something that he wasn't telling her.

"So, you're gonna have to help me out," Tristan said as they got in the car. Rory looked at him confused. "I don't know where you live," he clarified.

"Oh, right. I'm actually going over to my grandparents' house here in Hartford."

"Do you not live in Hartford also?" He asked.

"No," Rory responded shyly. "I actually live in Stars Hollow."

"That's a long way from here, do you own a car?"

"No, I am going to be taking the bus," she replied.

"Seriously? No girl of mine is going to be taking public transportation."

This bold statement both shocked and irritated Rory. Who the hell does he think he is? What a pompous ass to automatically assume that I would want to be 'his girl'. Despite her rising anger, Rory found herself imagining what all that would entail. The kisses, the touches, the…..stop it! She mentally berated herself.

"Rory?" Tristan called.

Hearing her actual name, Rory snapped out of her daydream. "What?"

"You're grandparents live on Mason Street, right?"

"Yeah, but how did you…"

"I'm a Dugray. Ours families run in the same social circle. That is part of the reason you have intrigued me. You are a Gilmore, but I have never seen you at any of the mandatory social gatherings" he continued.

"Well," she started. "Wait…we are supposed to be talking about you, not me."

"Oh, right. You wanted to know who I am and what my status at Chilton is, correct?" Rory nodded her head. "Well, as you just learned, I am a Dugray. Important name, lots of money, blah, blah, blah. My grandfather is Janlen Dugray; he is a very good friend of your grandfather, Richard. It is because of my name that I have become, well, I guess you could say the King of Chilton." Tristan mused.

Rory just looked at him in slight shock. Tristan, upon seeing her expression chuckled a little. After a minute Rory got her voice back and her mind on track.

"You referred to me as 'a girl of yours'. Now given your status, Your Majesty, I am not one to be 'one of the many'. So given that information, you don't have to worry about me. I can handle public transportation. I also to find it a little off-putting that you would just assume that I would want to be a girl of yours."

They pulled in the driveway of the Gilmore's very impressive mansion. Rory was just about to open the door and get out of the stylish sports car when Tristan grasped her wrist causing her to turn back around.

"Something you should know, Mary…it is because of me that you didn't have slime balls pawing at you all day. I hold the power in that school and believe me, to those guys, you are fresh meat. I think that you are also guilty of assuming things. You are not one of the many, not in the way you are thinking anyway," Tristan stated matter-of-factly.

Rory looked from his electric eyes to his hand that was still wrapped firmly around her wrist as he continued. "It's true that I have been with a lot of girls, and they are the ones the dubbed me The King. But, _my girls _are Louise, Madeline, Paris and now, you. All it means is that you are under my protection and that no one will bother you, unless you approve of course," he laughed.

With that, he released her wrist, as she muttered a thank you for the ride. "And I am very protective," Tristan said to an empty car before pulling out and heading to his house.

As Tristan entered his room, he laid down on his California King Size bed. He couldn't stop thinking about Rory. She was different from all the other girls in Hartford, and in Chilton. He felt something more for her from the moment he saw her that morning. He just needed to prove to her that he wasn't the major player that she perceived him to be, while keeping all the other guys away from her. He had a feeling that he was going to need Louise or Paris' help with this one. He realized that in order to give Rory a ride to school tomorrow, he would need her address. He looked at the clock. 3:45. Paris would still be at the Franklin, she could get him all the information he needed.

Reaching into his pocket, Tristan retrieved his cell phone and quickly dialed Paris' number.

"This better be life or death, Dugray. I'm in the middle of doing the next lay-out," Paris snapped.

"Kinky," Tristan chuckled. He could hear her sigh and her anger boil through the phone. "Sorry, Paris, I need your help. I need some information on—"

"On Rory, yeah I was expected your call," Paris replied. "I'll text it to you."

"Thanks so much Paris, you rock!"

"Yeah, I know."

Tristan snapped his phone shut and waited for Paris' text.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After receiving the third degree from her grandma, Rory made her way up to the second floor to the room that had been set up for her. She closed the door and placed her book bag by the desk. She was so exhausted and she figured that it was because it was her first day in a new school. She was still very confused about the group that she was being pulled into. Having only met most of them for a few minutes at lunch they all seemed nice enough. Everyone seemed to have their own roles within the group, and they all obviously respected Tristan as the leader. Rory couldn't shake the possessiveness of Tristan's words. What was he protecting her from? It couldn't just be from the guys at school, could it?

With that thought Rory she went back downstairs. "Grandma, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Rory."

"What do you know about the Dugrays?" Rory asked quietly.

"The Dugrays? They are a prominent family here in Hartford. Janlen has been doing business with your grandfather for many years. Why do you ask?" Emily inquired.

"I met Janlen's grandson, Tristan. He is in my class at Chilton and –"

"Rory, you are _not_ to associate with him, do you understand?"

"Grandma, why not? He didn't seem that bad. He was actually kind of nice," Rory said.

"Rory, although his boy is a Dugray, he is not suitable company for you. He is a troublemaker, and the same with those friends of his."

"Oh, ok, thanks grandma. I'm going to go back upstairs and get started on my homework. Apparently I have an English and Chemistry test next Friday," Rory explained.

Tristan was up bright and early the next morning. True to her word, Paris texted him the information about Rory, everything from her address and cell number to her transferring GPA. He pulled into her drive way and looked at the modest house. Though it was small in comparison to the houses he normally frequented, it felt homier than any of them. Rory was just coming out of her front door when she noticed Tristan getting out of his car.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I'm here to give you a ride, I thought that we had cleared that up," Tristan smirked.

"Um…I don't think that is such a good idea."

"And why is that?"

"I was told that you were not appropriate company for me," Rory replied lowly.

"Let me guess, your grandmother told you that. I bet she also told you that I am a troublemaker and so are my friends, am I right?" he asked as he slowly approached her. Soon he was standing directly in front of her. Rory looked away nervously as she felt herself blush. "Let's just go to school and then afterwards we can go to my house and I will explain why so said that. Ok?"

Rory looked up into his eyes that were now stormy with emotion. She thought she recognized desire in them but she mentally shook her head at the crazy thought. "Ok." She said as she gave a small smile.

They drove to Chilton in silence, and for Rory the day seemed to fly by. She was incredibly nervous about going to Tristan's after school. As for Tristan, the day seemed to drag on. He couldn't wait for this afternoon. This was his chance to show Rory who he was, at least part of who he was anyway. However, now he had to do damage control thanks to her grandmother. "Damn, damn" he muttered.

At lunch, Rory decided to go to the library instead of the very cramped cafeteria. Little did she know, someone had watched her enter the library. Rory found a table towards the back of the stacks and pulled out her notebook.

"Didn't want to join us today?" Paris said causing Rory to jump. The blonde slid into the chair across from Rory. "You're lucky, you know?"

"How do you figure?" asked Rory

"You have Tristan looking out for you, in more ways than one," she replied slyly.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I have known Tristan pretty much since birth and I know how he thinks. He is sweet on you. Don't let the playboy exterior fool you though. He really likes you and contrary to what you may hear, he is a really good guy. You can trust him."

"Did he ask you to talk him up?" Rory asked skeptically.

"Nope, just thought that I would speed things up a little to avoid all the angst and brooding that he goes through," laughed Paris. "See you later."

Paris got up just as the bell rang, and Rory moved to follow her. Her head was still trying to process this new information. At the end of the day Rory was greeted at her locker by Tristan. She looked at him, trying to see any obvious outward signs confirming what Paris had told her. Unfortunately, she saw none, except for the storm brewing in his eyes again.

"You ready," he asked.

"As I'll ever be I suppose," Rory smiled nervously.

{AN: So what does everyone think so far? I'm trying to update as quickly as possible. I'd love some feedback. It's good for the soul. Is there anything that you guys would like to see? The next chapter will be what happens when they get to Tristan's house.}


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Thank you everyone for you enthusiasm for my story, especially since this is my first one. I hope you continue to enjoy it. So without further ado….on with the show!

Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine, the rest have their respective owners.

Chapter 4

The ride to Tristan's house was a silent one, but the tension was palpable. Tristan was wondering if Rory would believe what he was going to be telling her. Most people didn't. Everyone thought that they knew the truth but how much can you really know about a situation that you weren't directly involved in?

Over in the passenger seat, Rory sat, hyper aware of every little move he made. Though to a passing car it would simply look as if she was looking out the window. Paris was crazy, Tristan couldn't possibly like her. He was just being nice to her because she was new.

A couple minutes later they pulled into Tristan's driveway and got out of the car. As they approached the front door of the enormous mansion, Rory noticed that his car was the only one in the driveway.

"Are your parents home?"

"Nope, they are in Europe. My dad had some business to take care of, and my mom jumps at any chance to go shopping in Paris," he replied coolly.

"Oh, ok."

"Does that bother you that we are the only ones here?" Tristan asked as he opened the door.

"No…no. It's ok, I just wasn't sure what to expect, that's all."

Tristan held the door open for her as she entered the entryway, closing the door behind them. He reached out for her hand and led her to the stairs.

"Where are we going?" she asked hesitantly.

"My bedroom."

"Um…ok," Rory replied as she started climbing the stairs behind him, her hand firmly holding his.

They walked down the long hallway before Tristan stopped in front of the only closed door. He looked Rory in the eyes before opening the door. She was surprised at what she saw. Tristan's room was decorated in black and blue, the same electric blue as his Porsche. It looked lived in, but not messy. He had a private bathroom, a couch and a desk. Then Rory's eyes fell on the bed. She had never seen a bed that big. It looked so big and inviting and Rory had to resist the urge to run and jump on the bed.

"So, what do you think?" Tristan asked nervously.

"I like it. It seems very….you."

Tristan smiled at her and led her over to the couch. "I suppose we should talk about the stuff that your grandma was alluding to."

"That would be nice. I would really like to know what it is my grandma has against you, especially since you are also from a prominent family."

"Well, Mary, it's not just me exactly…it's the entire group. I just get the majority of the hate because I am the leader."

Rory just looked at him expectantly, so he continued.

"Last year, Paris, Madeline, and Louise were at this party. Mike, Duncan, Jack and I were there also. A few hours into the party a sub-party had been made outside and somehow the girls got sucked in. Finn, a mutual friend told us about it. But by the time we got there the girls had been given way too much to drink. These guys from a neighboring private school had started getting a little grabby, but the girls were too drunk to really notice."

"Oh my god," Rory whispered looking down at her hands, stunned.

"Yeah. So we went in there and pulled the other guys out of the pool house and…we um-"he wasn't sure how she was going to take this next part. Tristan really didn't want to scare Rory, but she had to know.

"You what?" Rory asked, although she was pretty sure that she knew what was coming.

"We…beat them down. The cops were called, but no charges were filed because otherwise they would have had to explain what exactly was going on in the pool house. However, everyone in Hartford heard what we did, but no one believes why we did it," Tristan finished quietly.

"Why not? I understand why you did it. You were just looking out for your friends," Rory assured him.

"It's simple, no one would ever believe that Logan, Colin and Robert would ever do something like that," Tristan got up and started pacing. Rory could see the anger wracking through his body. She quickly got up and walked over to him. She placed her hand on the side of his face so he would stop pacing. Tristan looked into her eyes as she stood on her toes and lightly brushed her lips against his.

Tristan couldn't believe what was happening, his mind short-circuited the moment her lips touched his. Rory was about to pull away when suddenly Tristan put his hands on her hips, pulling her close. They both moved to deepen the kiss. Rory could see fireworks exploding behind her eyelids, this was so unlike her, but she couldn't help herself. She just reacted to the pain and anger that Tristan was feeling and she wanted to make him feel better. Rory started walking Tristan backwards towards the couch were they had been sitting.

Tristan's legs hit the couch causing him to sit down and pulling Rory into his lap. Ignoring the fact that she was wearing a skirt, Rory moved to straddle Tristan's legs. She gasped into the kiss when she felt how turned on Tristan was pressing against her center. It sent sparks shooting throughout her body. Soon, they broke the kiss because air became needed. Rory looked down at Tristan's chest, blushing furiously, but Tristan kept his hands on her hips holding her in place.

"I…I'm sorry," Rory stammered.

"For what, Mary? That was mind-blowing and feel free to do that whenever you want," Tristan said huskily.

"It's not like me to do something like that. I just wanted to take your mind off of what you had just told me."

"I just don't want you to be afraid of me. It is also why I call them 'my girls' and I will protect you just as I protect them. I really like you, Rory and I would never let anything happen to you." Tristan was barely speaking above a whisper now.

"I…I really like you too." Rory leaned back in to kiss him again, placing her hands on his chest.

They kissed and talked for the next couple hours, then went to a local coffee shop before Tristan reluctantly had to take Rory home. What they didn't know was that they had been spotted by the Headmaster's wife.

They pulled into the Gilmore's driveway a little while later.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yep, bright and early," Tristan smirked.

"Ok." Rory leaned in for a quick kiss before getting out of the car. She watched as Tristan drove out of sight before turning and entering the house.

"Mom? Are you home?" she called.

"Kitchen!"

"Hey, mom…what's wrong?" Rory asked seeing the look on Lorelei's face.

"Two things. Who's the boy? And I just got off the phone with your grandmother. Apparently, one of her friends saw you with the aforementioned boy and she is fuming," Lorelei stated.

"Oh boy," Rory sighed.

AN: Hope you guys like the story so far. Again, I love reviews and if you have any suggestions and ideas, I'm all ears! Much Love!


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Hey there all of my readers! I'm glad that you guys are enjoying my story! I love writing, and to actually have someone enjoy it is really rewarding for me. Love you guys! Enjoy!

Recap:

"_Mom? Are you home?" she called._

"_Kitchen!"_

"_Hey, mom…what's wrong?" Rory asked seeing the look on Lorelei's face._

"_Two things. Who's the boy? And I just got off the phone with your grandmother. Apparently, one of her friends saw you with the aforementioned boy and she is fuming," Lorelei stated._

"_Oh boy," Rory sighed._

Chapter 5

Rory dropped her head down on the kitchen table with a sigh. _Damn Grandma and her nosey friends!_ thought Rory. After taking in a few deep breathes, Rory lifted her head to look her mom in the eye. She decided to start at the beginning.

After what seemed like an eternity waiting for Lorelei's reaction, a smile spread wide across her mom's face and she started laughing.

"What do you find so funny?" asked Rory.

"You….you….have….to…..deal…..with….my….mother!"Lorelei choked out in gasps.

"Thanks," she groaned. The fact of the matter was that her mother was right. She was going to have to deal with her grandmother. Rory decided that she was going to get Emily Gilmore to change her mind about Tristan if her life depended on it.

The week flew by and soon it was time the Lorelei and Rory to attend their weekly Friday night dinner at the older Gilmore's house. This was Rory's chance to try to talk to her grandma about Tristan although she was doubt that she was going to be very receptive. After a drive that didn't last long enough for their tastes, they found themselves standing outside the massive mahogany door. As usual they were arguing about who was going to ring the doorbell when the door swung open to reveal a very annoyed Emily.

"She's annoyed with you," Lorelei whispered to Rory. They both sighed as they entered the cold mansion.

"Hurry up, Richard!" yelled Emily. "Come along girls; let me get you your drinks."

Soon Richard had joined them in the parlor.

"Rory, since next Friday is your birthday, we figured that we would have a special dinner for you and you can bring a friend if you want," Emily announced.

"Oh…well thank you grandma. It's really not necessary, though." Rory replied.

"Nonsense, Rory."

The rest of the evening went by quickly. Richard read the paper, and Lorelei received more than a few withering stares from Emily every time she decided to make one of her vegetables talk. Soon, Lorelei and Rory found themselves in the car on their way back to Stars Hollow.

"She didn't mention anything about Tristan," Rory said. "That's weird, right?"

"Yeah, kinda."

XVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXV

The next morning Rory came bounding out of her room with an evil grin on her face.

"You are looking a little sinister this morning," Lorelei quipped.

"I have an idea, and although it is probably going to blow up in my face, I think I'm gonna do it," Rory said cheekily.

"Uh oh…do I wanna know?"

"Grandma said that for my birthday dinner I can invite a friend, right?" Lorelei nodded hesitantly. "Well I'm going to invite Tristan," Rory said.

Lorelei's jaw hit the ground, but she quickly recovered and started bowing to Rory.

"The student has surpassed the master, but yes it probably will blow up in your face."

"Well I still have to ask Tristan, and I don't know if he will even want to go," Rory sighed.

"Good luck with that, Hun."

XVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXV

Monday morning came too quick for Rory's liking and she was really nervous about asking Tristan to Friday night dinner. She quickly got ready for school and was sitting on the front porch when Tristan pulled up. Rory got up and walked over to the car as Tristan opened the door for her. She gave him a quick kiss as she got into the car.

The ride to Chilton, like always, was pretty silent. Finally, Rory cleared her throat.

"Tristan, can I ask you something, and you are probably not going to want to do it, but it would mean a lot to me, and it would give you a chance to make a new impress—" Rory rambled.

"Rory!" Tristan chuckled. "What did you want to ask?"

"Well, Friday is my birthday…and my mom and I are obligated to Friday night dinner at my grandparent's house. They said that I could invite someone to join us…..I was wondering if you would like to come with me," Rory finished shyly.

Last was the last thing that Tristan ever expected her to say. "Rory, I don't know if that is such a good idea. You already know that she hates me."

"But this is your chance for a fresh start with her…and it will make my life a little easier. I really like you, Tristan and I don't want to constantly be fighting with my grandmother about you," Rory pleaded.

Tristan sighed heavily, "this really means a lot to you, huh?" Rory nodded shyly. "Okay then, if nothing else we can go down in a blaze of glory," he smirked.

XVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXV

AN: The next chapter will be Rory's birthday! I was gonna include it here, but I felt that it deserved it's own chapter, so please be patient. And review, review, review! Much love!


	6. Chapter 6

**AN**: I'm so sorry that this chapter has taken so long to get up, but I hit a patch of writer's block and then I got a new job. However I really appreciate all of your patience. Don't worry I will keep writing until this story is finished though. Thank you everyone for your reviews! You guys are officially my heroes! I hope you like this next chapter…Rory's birthday party…dun dun dun….lol For those of you who caught it, the idea of Rory inviting a friend to dinner came from when she was in the top 3percent of her class.

Chapter 6

**Recap:**

"_Well, Friday is my birthday…and my mom and I are obligated to Friday night dinner at my grandparent's house. They said that I could invite someone to join us…..I was wondering if you would like to come with me," Rory finished shyly._

_Last was the last thing that Tristan ever expected her to say. "Rory, I don't know if that is such a good idea. You already know that she hates me."_

"_But this is your chance for a fresh start with her…and it will make my life a little easier. I really like you, Tristan and I don't want to constantly be fighting with my grandmother about you," Rory pleaded._

_Tristan sighed heavily, "This really means a lot to you, huh?" Rory nodded shyly. "Okay then, if nothing else we can go down in a blaze of glory," he smirked._

XVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXVXV

**Stars Hollow, Gilmore residence, 4:03am, October 8****th****.**

"Happy Birthday, little girl," Lorelei whispered as she climbed into the twin bed next to Rory. "I can't believe how fast you're growing up."

"Really? It feels slow."

"Uhuh, it's fast. Trust me. What do you think of your life so far?"

"I think it's pretty good," Rory replied.

"Any complaints?" asked Lorelei.

"Uh, I'd like that whole humidity thing to go away."

"Alright, I'll work on that," Lorelei said nodding.

"So, do I look older?" asked Rory.

"Oh yeah. You walk into Denny's before 5 you've got yourself a discount."

"Good deal."

"You know what I think," Lorelei said. "I think you are a great, cool kid and the best friend a girl could have."

"Backatcha," Rory sleepily replied.

"And it's so hard to believe that at exactly this time, many moons ago, I was lying in exactly this same position," Lorelei rambled.

"Oh boy, here we go," Rory sighed.

"Only I had a huge, fat stomach and big fat ankles and I was swearing like a sailor."

"On leave."

"On leave, right, and there I was…"

"In labor"

"And while some have called it the most meaningful experience of your life, to me it was something more akin to doing the splits on a crate of dynamite."

"I wonder if the Waltons ever did this," Rory muttered.

"And I was screaming and swearing, and being as surrounded as I was, by a hundred prominent doctors, I just assumed there was an actual use for the cup of ice chips they gave me…"

"There wasn't."

"But pelting the nurses sure was fun."

"I love you, mom."

"Shh, we're getting to the part where he sees your head," Lorelei said as Rory snuggled in next to her mom.

"So there I was…"

**Later that day after school.**

"We're really doing this?" asked Tristan as he walked up to Rory's locker.

"Ok, this is your last chance to back out," Rory said glaring at the blonde boy standing now sheepishly in front of her.

"No, no. I'll go," Tristan said looking at his shoes as he took Rory's hand and started leading her towards the cafeteria.

"Good," Rory smiled as he gave her a weary sidelong glance.

They entered cafeteria still holding hands, which did not go unnoticed by Louise and Paris. They looked at each other smirking, but decided not to comment on the newest turn of events just yet. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Class after class, piling on more and more homework for the weekend. _Happy Birthday to me_ thought Rory bitterly.

"So Birthday Girl, am I picking you up or am I just meeting you guys there?" Tristan inquired.

"Where?" Rory asked absentmindedly as she retrieved the necessary books from her locker.

"Your grandparent's house."

"Oh right, just meet us there, outside."

"Ok. Well I'll see you there, then. Seven, right?"

"Yes, please don't be late," Rory warned.

"Now, would I do that to you on your birthday?" Tristan asked walking away backwards, smirking.

**Outside the Gilmore mansion**:

"It's about time you got here," Tristan exclaimed.

"I know. I had to drag my mom out of the house." Rory said. "Tristan, this is my mom, Lorelei. Mom, this is Tristan"

"Nice to meet you, Ma'am," Tristan said extended his hand. Lorelei glared at him as she slowly shook his hand.

"If you wanna survive just getting to the front door you will never call me that again," Lorelei stated darkly.

"Ignore her. She likes to be called by her first name, that's all." Rory sighed noticing the look of confusion and fear on Tristan's face.

The three of them walked towards the front door and it swung open quickly.

"Good evening, Lorelei, Rory and…oh. Hello." Emily's face instantly fell at the sight of Tristan.

"Mom, this is Rory's friend, Tristan Dugrey. You and dad know his grandfather, Janlen. Don't you?" Lorelei jumped in quickly.

"Hello, Mrs. Gilmore," Tristan said hesitantly.

"Hi Grandma," Rory said.

"Come in," Emily said curtly. "Tristan, would you please excuse us. I need to speak with my daughter and granddaughter."

"Oh. Yeah, sure. I'll just be in the parlor."

As soon as Tristan was out of sight, Emily pulled Lorelei and Rory into the kitchen.

"What is he doing here, Rory? I specifically told you to stay away from him!" Emily said in a loud whisper.

"Mom, calm down," Lorelei interjected as Emily continued to glare at Rory.

"I will NOT calm down!"

"Grandma, Tristan is a really sweet guy and I like him a lot. I invited him here because you said that I could invite a friend and I really want you to get to know him. You are judging him based on society gossip and that is not fair to him or to me. Now, if you can't at least give him a fair chance then we will just leave and go somewhere else for my birthday," Rory snapped at Emily.

Emily stood in the kitchen with a shocked look on her face before quickly regaining her composure. "Fine. I will give him one chance, but only one," she replied before turning around and making her way to the parlor.

Rory and Lorelei exchanged slightly relieved looks but also knew that they had to brace themselves for the night ahead. The drink portion of the evening was enveloped in an awkward silence. Emily sat stiffly in her chair and stared down at her drink, while the three younger participants looked at each other and sipped their drinks nervously.

The newest maid in the Gilmore house cautiously stepped into the room. "Dinner is ready, Mrs. Gilmore."

"Well, we should go into the dining room before the food gets cold," Emily said. The group stood from their seats and made their way into the dining room.

"So, Mom, where is Dad? I thought that he was going to be here for Rory's birthday?" Lorelei inquired.

"He got called out of town for business yesterday. Totally last minute," Emily sighed.

"Grandma, where did Grandpa have to go for business this week?" Rory said trying to keep confidence in her voice.

"Rome."

"Really? I was just there this past summer with my grandfather," Tristan said, finally daring to speak.

"That's nice," Emily said.

"What did you guys do there, Tristan?" asked Lorelei.

"He wants me to take over the family business someday, so I joined him at some of his meeting and things of that nature. I also was able to do a little sight-seeing though."

"I want to go to Rome someday," Rory replied.

"You should, it's really pretty. I would love to show you around there some day," Tristan said smirking at Rory. Emily and Lorelei's heads snapped up at this statement and stared at the two teenagers and Rory started to blush fiercely.

"That would be nice, thank you," Rory quietly muttered not taking her eyes off of her dinner plate.

Emily decided at that moment to speak. She set down her fork and said, "Tristan, I'm sure that you are aware of the fact that I know your reputation. I'm also sure that you are aware of the fact that I don't really want you around my granddaughter."

Lorelei and Rory just stared between Emily and Tristan.

"Yes, Ma'am. However, you don't know the whole story that leads to the reputation that you think you know," replied Tristan. Lorelei's jaw dropped, she was starting to like this boy more and more.

"Well, please, enlighten me," Emily scoffed.

Tristan set about on the task of telling Emily and Lorelei the same story that he had told Rory. When you finally finished, Emily didn't know what to say.

"If what you have just told me is the truth, then I am truly sorry for judging you prematurely," she apologized.

"I have dealt with this for a while now, and no one ever wants to hear the truth. I'm just glad that you gave me the chance to explain because I really like your granddaughter."

The rest of dinner was actually pleasant. Rory could feel the tension leaving her body. As they were getting ready to leave, Emily gave her a hug and whispered an apology in Rory's ear. Rory smiled gratefully to her grandmother.

"I'll meet you at the car, kiddo," Lorelei said. "Tristan, is that story you told my mother true?"

"Yes. Every word."

"Then you should know that I feel comfortable with you spending time with Rory. However, you should know that if you ever do anything to hurt her, I will hurt you."

"I promise that I will never do anything to_ intentionally_ hurt Rory," he replied.

"I suppose that's all I can ask of you," she said as she walked towards the jeep.

"Thank you so much for coming tonight, Tristan," Rory said shyly.

"No problem, Mary. Would you like your birthday present now?"

"You didn't have to get me anything, you braving my grandmother was present enough."

"I saw this and I thought of you, so I bought it," Tristan said. Suddenly he was nervous as he wondered if Rory was going to like it or not. He held up a black, velvet box and handed it to Rory.

She hesitantly opened it and her eyes went wide. Inside was a beautiful white gold Irish claddagh necklace with her birthstone in the center of the heart.

"Oh, Tristan. It's beautiful, but it must have cost a fortune. You really didn't have to…"

"I know. But like I said, I saw it and thought of you."

"Thank you. Will you help me put it on?"

"Of course, Mary," Tristan whispered as a smile spread across his face.

After he clasped the latch on the necklace, Rory turned around and gave him a sweet and innocent kiss.

"Will you call me tomorrow?" Rory whispered.

"As you wish….Mary," Tristan said looking into her blue eyes which were now clouded with desire.

Rory just smiled as she started walking backwards toward the jeep, where Lorelei had watched the whole interaction.

**Later that night…**

It was almost and Rory was busy at work on her laptop, but she wasn't working on the mountains of homework she had. Instead she was looking up the meaning of the necklace that Tristan had given her.

_"The Claddagh's distinctive design features two hands clasping a heart, and usually surmounted by a crown. The elements of this symbol are often said to correspond to the qualities of love (the heart), friendship (the hands), and loyalty (the crown)."_

As Rory read the paragraph again and again, her smile just kept getting bigger. Finally, she turned off her computer and went to bed…a content smile on her face and her left hand clutching the pendant.

**AN: **Once again thank you guys for sticking with me. If you want to know what Rory's necklace looks like, I should have a link to it on my profile. As always Review, Review, Review!


	7. Chapter 7

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'm sorry that this has taken so long everyone, and that it is a tad shorter than my other chapters. But I have some cool news, one of the short stories that I had to write for a Creative Writing class, was published in the college's literary magazine. It's not a Fanfic or anything but if anyone is interested in reading it, msg me with your email. I love feedback. lol So I have been flying high on that news. Anywho, here is Chapter 7. Reviews, thoughts, and suggestions are always appreciated and encouraged!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

Chapter 7

As Rory walked into Chilton the following Monday she still had a smile on her face. She had spent the better part of the weekend on the phone with Tristan, much to the dismay of Lorelei. Although she was happy that her daughter was happy, she felt that Rory was getting too serious too fast and that bothered her a little. Rory didn't think that she was doing anything wrong; she just chalked her mom's worrying up to her quirky personality.

Rory went to her locker and started sorting through all of her books and notes. Finally coming across the ones that she needed for her first 2 classes, she was pounced on by Madeline and Louise.

"Ok, spill," Louise and Madeline said in unison.

"What are you talking about?" Rory asked, slightly confused.

Louise looked at Rory like she had grown a second head. "We heard that you took Tristan to dinner at your grandparent's house. So, spill. What happened?"

"Nothing major," Rory stated vaguely.

"Seriously? You think that we are going to let you get away with that answer?" Madeline asked.

"Well, that's the answer that I'm giving you," Rory stated.

While both girls stood there looking slightly shocked and confused, Tristan walked up with a giant smile on his face. He placed his hands on Rory's hips, spun her around and kissed her soundly on the lips. Louise and Madeline stood there with their jaws on the floor.

Breaking the kiss for air, Tristan leaned his forehead against Rory's. "I've been waiting all weekend to do that." He pulled back and looked over at the other girls, "Ladies. It's a beautiful morning isn't it?" With that he placed a chaste kiss on Rory's lips and whispered that he would see her in class and then he walked away with his familiar swagger.

Rory stood there in a haze for a few seconds, her hand now instinctively going up to touch the necklace. Paris walked up and looked at the girls wondering why Rory looked like a goofy happy statue, and Madeline and Louise looked like fish with their mouths hanging open.

"Ok, I'm guessing I've missed something," she said. The other girls were to have broken out of their trance.

"Huh?" Rory replied.

"Oh my god, Rory!" Madeline exclaimed. "What is that around your neck?" This caused Paris and Louise to look closely at the sparkling pendant that hung around Rory's slender neck.

"Oh….um….this….th-this is nothing really….um….it's just something Tris gave me after dinner on Friday…for my birthday…," she stammered. Rory knew that the girls were going to blow this gesture way out of proportion.

"Tris?" Paris stated staring at Rory.

"Who cares about the nickname, Paris!" Madeline shrieked.

"Yeah, I'm more curious about necklace. What exactly happened at dinner?" Louise interrogated.

Rory told the girls everything that had happened at dinner, about how Tristan had explained the story to her mom and grandmother. Louise, Madeline and Paris looked down sheepishly. Rory touched Paris' arm, "hey I don't want you guys to feel bad about what had happened. Just be thankful that you had friends to look out for you." They looked at Rory slightly shocked at how understanding she was being.

"Thank you for understanding," Madeline said quietly. Then she started bouncing slightly, "So tell us about the necklace."

Rory blushed, "It was a birthday present. He said that it reminded him of me so he bought it."

"Oh my god! That is soooo sweet!" Louise gushed.

After classes were done for the day, Rory met Tristan at her locker. He gave her a quick kiss and smiled down at her. "So how was the grand inquisition from the girls?"

"Not too bad," she laughed. "Tristan….can we maybe go to your house for a little bit? My mom is out of town for a couple days and I don't feel like being home alone right now."

"Like you ever have to ask, Mary," Tristan smirked.

They exited the school and got into his car. He quickly sped off to his house. Rory was getting used to the fast sports car and she loved the color especially. It complimented Tristan's eyes.

It felt like they had always been a part of each other's lives, which to Rory seemed crazy but she loved how comfortable he made her feel. So as soon as they entered Tristan's room, Rory turned to face him, and dropped her backpack to the floor. "What?" he asked. With that Rory stood on her toes and kissed him hard on the lips. Tristan's hands instinctively went to her hips, pulling her as close as he could to him. Rory sighed into the kiss and Tristan took this opportunity to deepen it. She picked Rory up by the hips and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He took her over to his bed and laid her down, never breaking the kiss.

Finally, they broke apart for air. Rory noticed that Tristan was laying on top of her in between her legs and she could feel his hard length through his pants. She smirked up at him while he was still trying to catch his breath. Rory lifted her hips around grinded against him.

Tristan growled at her, "Are you trying to kill me, Mary?"

"What are you talking about?" she said innocently.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about." With that he grinded his hips into hers.

Rory moaned loudly, and Tristan kissed her hard. Her hands tangled in his hair as his hands wandered down her sides. Rory pulled back and looked deep into Tristan's eyes.

"Tristan….." Rory started nervously.

AN: HAHA! I'm evil, I know. Lol review, review, review. Lol I will try to update sooner.


	8. Chapter 8

**RECAP:**

_It felt like they had always been a part of each other's lives, which to Rory seemed crazy but she loved how comfortable he made her feel. So as soon as they entered Tristan's room, Rory turned to face him, and dropped her backpack to the floor. "What?" he asked. With that Rory stood on her toes and kissed him hard on the lips. Tristan's hands instinctively went to her hips, pulling her as close as he could to him. Rory sighed into the kiss and Tristan took this opportunity to deepen it. He picked Rory up by the hips and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He took her over to his bed and laid her down, never breaking the kiss._

_Finally, they broke apart for air. Rory noticed that Tristan was laying on top of her in between her legs and she could feel his hard length through his pants. She smirked up at him while he was still trying to catch his breath. Rory lifted her hips around grinded against him._

_Tristan growled at her, "Are you trying to kill me, Mary?"_

"_What are you talking about?" she said innocently._

"_You know damn well what I'm talking about," with that he grinded his hips into hers._

_Rory moaned loudly, and Tristan kissed her hard. Her hands tangled in his hair as his hands wandered down her sides. Rory pulled back and looked deep into Tristan's eyes._

"_Tristan….." Rory started nervously._

**Chapter 8**

"What's wrong, Mary?" Tristan asked concerned.

"Nothing…is wrong…per say," Rory responded. "It's just, what we are doing, here….um….I uh" she stammered, "I really like you Tristan, and I, I guess I'm just scared."

"Scared of what?"

"I'm scared that you will break my heart," Rory looked away shyly. She refused to look Tristan in the eye, because she knew that if she did, she would start to cry.

"Rory, I will do everything that I can to avoid hurting you. You mean everything to me, Rory. Ever since the first moment that I saw you, I knew that there was something special about you, and I feel the same as you. I know that you have power to break my heart," Tristan rambled. Rory looked at this blond god in complete shock. She could not comprehend what he had just told her. How could someone like her have this kind of effect on someone like him? It just didn't seem like the natural order of things. She leaned up and kissed him softly. It was all that she could think to do. They both felt like the other person could crush them at any given time.

Soon the kiss took on a life of its own, scorching both their souls. Rory gently pushed on Tristan's chest so she could look him in the eye.

"Tristan….will you make love to me?" Rory whispered.

With those simple words, Tristan leaned back down and kissed her softly and Rory sighed into the kiss. Slowly, Tristan started kissing across her cheek, and down to her neck. He shifted his weight so that he was laying next to her. As he continued kissing her neck, he started to unbutton her shirt. He slowly started kissing the path that his hands had taken. Rory moaned loudly as he reached her breasts. He kissed the left one over the fabric of her pink lace bra while cupping the other gently in his hand.

Tristan leaned back and looked at his beautiful girlfriend. Her eyes were still closed and her breathing was still shallow. He gently ran his hand over the pendant that he had given her. Seeing her wearing it made his heart flip in his chest. Rory carefully opened her eyes and looked at his quizzically.

"Is something…wrong?" she hesitantly asked.

"Rory, you are so beautiful," he whispered and her cheeks flushed a bright red. "I love you."

Rory stilled beneath him as shock passed in her eyes. She smiled a sweet smile, and leaned up pushing Tristan on his back and straddling his waist. She bent her head down and kissed him a little harder than that of their previous kisses. Her small hands started to shakily undo the buttons on his shirt. Once all the buttons were freed from their loops she ran her hands along Tristan's sculpted chest and abdomen. He moaned into the kiss and quickly flipped them back over. They broke the heated kiss gasping for air and they quickly worked at ridding the other of their remaining clothes.

Once they were both completely naked, Tristan ran his eyes over the length of Rory. She blushed under his intense gaze. "My God, you are so beautiful."

Tristan reached for the drawer on his nightstand and pulled out a condom. He opened it and Rory reached up and placed her hands on his and they both rolled the condom over his length. Rory could hear Tristan's breathing get even more shallow when her fingers brushed over his hard member. He moved over her and positioned himself at her entrance.

"I'm sorry baby but this is gonna hurt a little," he said softly.

"I know," Rory voice came out a little shaky. Tristan leaned down and kissed her as he thrust inside of her tight opening. She cried out into the kiss and her eyes squeezed shut, a few tears sliding down her face, and her hands gripping his shoulders hard. Tristan didn't move for a couple minutes, letting her body adjust. Finally, Rory continued kissing him and soothingly rubbed his back. Tristan knew that it was her way of letting him know to go ahead. He pulled his head back a little and kissed her eyelids as he started slowly moving inside of her. She still winced a few times, but soon she was moaning with pleasure.

Rory had never felt anything so incredible in her entire life. She never wanted this feeling to end but soon she was starting to feel the pressure building in her stomach. Tristan started moving a little faster, moaning her name quietly. She could tell that he was getting close. She began to meet him thrust for thrust causing them both to moan in pleasure. Soon, Rory's world began to spin, her skin felt like it was on fire and her whole body started to shake.

"Tristan!" she moaned loudly. Feeling her tighten around him sent Tristan falling over the edge and with a final deep thrust he exploded, moaning her name just as loudly. He collapsed beside her for a moment before getting up to dispose of the condom in the bathroom. He came back to find Rory snuggled under his blanket. He slide in next to her and she instinctively curled up next to him.

"That was amazing, Tristan."

"Yes it was."

Rory yawned, " I think that was even better than a lifetime supply of coffee."

"I think that is the best compliment I could ever get," he chuckled. They both slowly drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

AN: Hey guys, sorry it took so long. Please review, review, and review some more. Lol


	9. Chapter 9

AN: OMG! Writer's block suuuucccckkkksssss! I'm soo sorry everyone! I hope you guys are still with me. Well, on with the next chapter…

Recap:

"_That was amazing, Tristan."_

_ "Yes it was."_

_ Rory yawned, "I think that was even better than a lifetime supply of coffee." _

_ "I think that is the best compliment I could ever get," he chuckled. They both slowly drifted off to a peaceful sleep._

Chapter 9

A few hours later, Tristan woke up to a rumbling under his hand. He realized that his hand was lying across Rory's stomach. He heard he tummy rumble again and chuckled quietly as she curled up into a ball. Tristan slowly slide out of bed and put on a pair of black basketball shorts. He quietly walked over to the door and stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door behind him. Once he made his way down to the kitchen, he pulled a pan of lasagna from the refrigerator and put it in the oven. He stood there for a few minutes just thinking about the girl upstairs and he couldn't help but smile. He walked over to a small cupboard and pulled out a bag of coffee. As he made a pot of coffee he hoped that Rory wouldn't wake up until he was finished making their dinner.

About a half an hour later, Tristan carefully balanced a tray full of food while opening the door to his bedroom. He made sure to remain as quiet as possible as he set the tray on the nightstand. He stared adoringly at the beautiful girl sleeping soundly in his bed. His stomach became full of butterflies and a smile appeared on his face. Rory started to stir, and Tristan sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Rory," he whispered. She sighed a little in response. "Rory…wake up, baby."

"Tristan?" she moaned sleepily. Tristan squeezed his eyes shut at the erotic way she said his name, he tried to regulate his heartbeat.

"I know you must be getting hungry, so I made you some dinner. Complete with coffee, of course."

Rory's eyes slowly fluttered open. As soon as she saw Tristan flashes of their earlier activities started to work their way to the forefront of her mind. She instantly started to blush and slightly buried her head into the pillow…the pillow that smelled of Tristan and Rory inhaled deeply.

"Rory? Are you ok?" She just nodded her head into the pillow. Tristan looked confused, "do you wanna maybe come out of there? Ya know, before your coffee gets cold and everything." Rory peaked at the handsome blond boy sitting on the bed next to her. As soon as she locked eyes with him, she started to panic. _"Oh my god! Oh my god! OH. MY. GOD!" _ Her head screamed. _"I had sex. I had sex with Tristan!"_

Tristan could tell by the look in her eyes that she was started to freak out. He knew that he had to do something to help her through this. He couldn't lose her now and he sure as hell didn't want her to regret sleeping with him.

"Rory, baby, how about you eat some dinner and then we can talk about everything," Tristan said soothingly. Rory stared at him for another minute before sitting up and accepting the tray from him. First, she quickly drank the cup of coffee. When she realized that the cup was now empty she frowned. Tristan reached over to the nightstand and picked up the coffee pot that he brought up from the kitchen.

"I'm no fool," Tristan said jokingly.

"Well…maybe not you, but me on the other hand, that is a completely different story," Rory quietly stated looking down at her hands.

"Baby…you are not a fool. Why would you even think that?"

"because…I…you….we….had sex," she whispered and Tristan's sad gaze fell to the floor. Rory reached out and touched his hand causing him to look back at her. "I never felt anything so…incredible in my entire life, Tristan. I just feel….we haven't known each other very long, and I am falling for you more and more every day. It's little scary. I'm worried that you will be bored with me….and then you will leave me."

Tristan moved the tray from her lap and placed it back on the nightstand. He moved closer to her. Placing his hands on either side of her face, he gave her a chaste kiss. "Rory, my beautiful, sweet Mary. I meant what I said earlier. All of it. But most importantly, I meant it when I told you that I love you. I don't want or need anyone else. I don't expect you to say it back….I know that you need time to process everything. If you need to talk about anything...everything…or have concerns, just please promise that you will talk to me about it. Okay?"

Rory just looked deep into his eyes and knew that he was telling her the truth. "I promise," she said.

"Okay good," Tristan said and leaned in for another quick kiss before handing her the tray back. "Now eat up and then we can watch a movie if you want. You're pick." Rory's eyes lit up and nodded as she took another bite of the lasagna.

{AN: Sorry it took so long and that its short, but the next chapter should be longer. Please review! }


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